Musical instrument



,G. BARR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT May 3, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1945 GEO/W5 5M1? INVENTOR ATTORNEY G. BARR MUS I CAL INSTRUMENT May 3, 1949.

Filed June 9, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 650/?65 EARR, INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 3, 1949. G. BARR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT s Shets-Sheet 5 Filed June 9, 1945 GEO/P65 EARR, INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented May 3, 1949 2,46&,725

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT George Barr, New York, N. Y., assignor to Frank C. Allen, Jr., Pelha-m Manor, N. Y.

Application June 9, 1945, Serial No. 598,523

14 Claims.

The invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to that type thereof commonly known as string instruments in which groups of strings under relative tension, according to the laws of harmony, constitute the media whereby the tonal vibrations are developed during a playing period.

The invention has for its object the provision of a novel musical instrument including novel means whereby individual musical notes or groups of such notes, constituting chords, may be changed to thereby vary the same in pitch and in musical character without interruption of the current playing by the performer.

The invention contemplates particularly the provision of a novel musical instrument of the string type including novel mechanism whereby the tension of the strings individually, or in selected groups, may be varied at will to thereby produce different musical tones and different chords Without interference with the current playing by the performer and to selectively produce, at will, full chord combinations known in musical parlance as major chords, minor chords, seventh chords, diminished chords and other such combination of tones.

Other objects will appear from the description hereinafter, and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits:

l is a plan View of the novel instrument with the novel mechanism embodied therein;

Fig, 2 is a side elevation thereof with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the novel mechanism, and

Figure 4- an end view taken from the right end of the instrument shown in Figure 1 with certain of the elements broken away to show more clearly the details of the latching mechanism.

In the drawings, the novel features have been illustrated as embodied in a string musical instrument of the guitar type and more particularly of the type commonly referred to as a Ilaon guitar. it will be understood that this iilustrated example is not intended to define the limits of the invention which is applicable to 1 many diftcrcnt forms of string instruments.

As shown, the instrument comprises side members it located in spaced, parallel relation and fixed in position relatively to each other by means of cross bars i! and I2 located, respectively, at

opposite ends of the members ID. The latter preferably are made of metal or other suitable material and, in the illustrated example, comprise angle irons to the ends of which the end members ii and it? are fastened by means of angle races l8 and rivets id, or in any other suitable manner. The members 19 preferably are carried by upright supporting members or legs, which comprise angle members secured in place by means of rivets I5, and constituting continuations of the angle braces [3a. To provide increased rigidity, the upright supporting members may be provided with braces I6 secured to the associated legs I ia by means of rivets [6a and to the members it by rivets I! or other suitable fastening means. A cross member I8 is secured to and spans the space between the members l0 and is mounted in position by means of screws or the like 19. The cross member I8 is provided with an upright rib 2!! provided at spaced intervals with grooved rotatable guide wheels 2! located at spaced intervals and corresponding in numher to the number of strings embodied in the particular instrument in question. A peg-suppor 22 projects horizontally outward from one end of the body formed by the members It! and associated elements, and is fixed in position by rivets M, for the accommodation of conventional pegs 2i rotatably mounted in suitable brackets and including worm-gears 26 meshing with rotatably mounted wormpinions and spindles 2! whereby the strings of the instrument are relatively tensioned to provide the tuning which the individual player of the instrument may desire, such tuning being in accordance with existing laws of harmony or in any other relation which may be preferred. Braces 28, extending from and secured to the one set of members Ba and to the peg-support 22, are included to provide increased rigidity.

At an intermediate point near its opposite end, the instrument is provided with a second cross member 29 having an upright rib 30 provided with grooved rotatable guide wheels 31 corresponding to and located in alignment With the grooved wheels 2| of the member 20. Conventional strings 32 have their one end suitably secured at 33 to the cross bar 12 and extend lengthwise over the instrument in the grooved Wheels and 2! with their opposite end fastened to the spindles H which are operated by the pegs M to initially tune the instrument as previously mentioned The instrument further is provided with tensioningdevers 34 pivoted at 35 on brackets 36 which are suitably fixed in the instrument so as to position the levers 34 beneath and in registry with the strings 32. In other words, the levers 34 correspond in number to the number of strings and occupy positions beneath the latter as illustrated in Fig. 3. Each tensioning lever is provided at its one end with a tensioning link 31 pivotally connected with its lever 34 at 38, and provided at its upper end preferably with a grooved roller 39 beneath which an associated string 32 passes as shown in Fig. 3. The levers 34 and links 3'! are so designed and located that the rollers 39, or equivalent devices, engage the strings at a point between the rib 3t and the fastening devices 33. At their free ends, the tensioning levers 34 are provided with transverse ribs 49, each of which carries a plurality of adjustable abutments illustrated in the form of screws M which extend through the ribs 40 at spaced intervals as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. In the illustrated example, there are seven levers 34each carrying six adjustable screws M or their equivalent, the screws 41 or their equivalent of the several levers 34 being located in aligning rows transversely of the instrument as shown in Fig. l, to thereby provide series or groups of projections 4! as shown in Fig. 1. Cross bars 42 are located beneath and in registry with the various transverse groups of screws or projections 4! and may be provided with recesses 43 for the reception of the ends of said screws or projections 4| in the manner and for the purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. The cross bars are carried by plungers 44 slidably mounted for vertical movement in suitable bearing brackets conveniently mounted in the machine. Each cross bar 42 includes two plungers 44, and each pair of associated plungers 44 are connected by means of a cross member 46 as shown in Fig. 4. A lug 4? is carried by and projects downwardly from each cross member 46 and is pivotally connected at 48 with a rocking lever 49 pivoted at 59 upon a bracket 5| fixed in place in any suitable manner in the instrument, for instance, as shown in Fig. 4. The opposite end of each rocking lever 49 is pivotally connected at 52 with a rod 53. At its upper end, each rod 53 is provided with an operating device 55 which may be in the form of a disc or a fiat key pivoted at 550, to brackets 5i in the latter case, the keys 55 may be located in any convenient arrangement, for instance, as shown in Fig. 1. A collar 54 is secured to each rod 53 near its upper end. When a key 55 is depressed, this collar 54 serves to compress a spiral spring 54b, surrounding the rod against a lower abutment 54a suitably fastened to the bracket 5| as by a bracket arm 51a.

To reduce the amount of manual effort necessary to operate the novel mechanism in the manner to be described in detail hereinafter, suitable counterbalancing means may be provided. In the illustrated example, this counterbalancinmeans is shown in the form of coil springs 55 (Fig. 2), each of which has one end secured to one of the levers 34 and its other end fastened preferably to an adjusting device illustrated in the form of a nut 56a threaded upon a screw 5! mounted in a bracket 58 depending from the members It. The nuts 56a, in cooperation with the screws 57, serve to adjust the tension of the various springs 56 independently at will to meet existing requirements.

In addition to the parts so far described, the novel mechanism includes releasing means whereby a previously-operated bar 42 is released and permitted to resume its normal position concurrent with the subsequent operation of another bar 4?. during an operative playing period of the instrument. In the illustrated example (Fig. 4), this means comprises latch members 59, one of which mounted on and depends from an associated cross bar 42 as shown in Fig. 4. Each latch member 59 comprises notches 60 and cam surfaces 6| designed to cooperate with detents 62 pivoted at 63 upon a stationary cross bar 64 conveniently mounted in the instrument and arranged in pairs upon opposite sides of each member 59 under the influence of springs 65 exerting a tension tending to draw the detent members 62 each pair toward each other as shown in Fig. 4. The detent members 62 carry plates 55 which, under certain conditions, pass into the notches 60 of the members 59 to thereby maintain a selected bar 42 in elevated position and to automatically release an elevated cross bar 42 coincidentally with the subsequent elevation of another oi said cross bars 42 as will appear more fully hereinafter.

In using the instrument, the strings 32 are initially tuned in accordance with prescribed laws of harmony for the instrument, or as selectively desired by the player, by manipulating the pegs 24 in th customary manner to place said strings 32 under the relative tension whereby the desired result is attained.

If it is desired during a given playing period to change individual notes or groups of notes comprisin chords to thereby vary the latter, it is simply necessary for the player to depress a particular key 55. As the operation of all of these keys brings corresponding results insofar as operative steps are concerned, it will be necessary to explain the action of only one of them. As the particular key 55 is thus depressed, the associated lever 49 will be rocked on its pivot 50 and thereby will exert an upward pressure on the associated cross bar 46 which is transmitted to the associated plungers 44 and slidably raises the same to thereby elevate the cross bar 42 carried by the particular plungers in question. As the bar 42 is thus elevated, it will engage the lower ends of the group of screws 4! or equivalent projections which which it is in registry and, accordingly, will swing the tensioning levers 34 pivotally on the pivot or pivots 35. This will result in a downward pull on the associated tension link or links 3? and thereby will develop a downward force on the particular string or strings 32 whereby the tension of the latter will be in creased to correspondingly raise the pitch of said particular string or strings 32. In some instances, the elevation of a certain bar 42 will act to decrease the tension and, therefore, lower the string tone. This occurs when a projecting screw 4| is screwed back to make it shorter, thus permitting the associated lever 34 to reduce the tension on the cooperating roller 39. As the bar 42 is thus brought to its elevated position with the result stated, the plates 66 of the detent members 52 will snap into the notches 60 of the particular member 59 and thereby will maintain said bar in its elevated position to correspondingly maintain the particular string or strings 32 under the said increased or decreased tension. As another of the keys 55 is correspondingly operated by the player during a playing period, the cam surfaces 6| of the associated member 59 will engage the previously operative detent members 62 and will force the two members 92 of the given pair outwardly relatively'to each other to thereby force the plates 65 out of the notches 5i} and thus release the previously raised member 42 which, at this stage, resumes its normal lowered position under the force of springs Mb. At the same time, the detent member 62 associated with the subsequently elevated member 42 will, through Cooperation of its plates 56 and associated' notches 60. maintain said subsequently raised member 42 in elevated position until the latter is itself released because of the operation of still another member 42. It will be understood that the arrangement is such that the release of a previouslyoraised member 42 for return to normal position, through the force of spring 54b, takes place an instant prior to the locking of the subsequently raised member 42 in its elevated position.

It will be understood that the screws ll or their equivalent. may be set in various positions on the levers as to vary the extent to which the levers at are rocked thereby to vary the degree of tension developed on the respective strings 32 so that a great variety of tone combinations may be efiected developed at the will of the player.

As the keys 55 are operated, in the manner described, to vary the tension of the strings 32, the springs 56 or equivalent counterbalancing means will serve to assist in effecting the tension changes by acting on the levers a manner to develop counterbalancing forces thereon.

In some instances, the keys 55 or their equivalent, instead of operating mechanically, the mechanism illustrated and described, may serve to electrically energize solenoids arranged and designed to eifectthe elevation of the bars 42 and develop the associated operations whereby the desired changes in the tensioning of the strings is brought about.

The novel mechanism is simple in construction and of maximum efficiency in operation and may be utilized selectively by the player of the in.- strument without requiring any special and particular skill beyond the ordinary playing ability of such player.

With the novel mechanism, individual notes or groups of notes comprising chords may be changed to thereby vary the musical character of such notes and chords and to thereby produce a great variety of musical. tonal effects.

It will be obvious by setting the screws M or equivalent projections initially in diflerent positions that the various levers may be given operative rocking movements of predetermined different extent. As a matter of fact, some of the screws 48 or their equivalent may occupy initial positions in which they will be beyond the range of upward movement of the various cross bars 42. As a result of this arrangement, an extremely large variety of tone combinations and. variations may be provided at the will of the performer. Any desired combination of musical tones, selected according to the laws of harmony or otherwise, may thus be readily effected to produce many different types of chords.

In the preferred arrangement, the instrument is mounted in a suitable casin and is used in association with a conventional amplifying means designed to pick up the vibrations of the strings convert the same int-o amplified musical tones.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with. the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Thus, for instance, the novel features are capable of embodiment in many different types of stringed, musical instruments. Such variations and modifications are considered to be within the purview and. scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a musical instrument having a string fixedly anchored at both ends and passing over two bridge members and including means for normally tuning the string, a tensioning member connected to the string between one of said an chored ends and its associated bridge member, a

series of adjustable elements on the member, and a corresponding series of manually operable elements adapted to be moved into engagement with the selected ones-of said adjustable elements one at a time to pull down on said string thereby to vary the tension in the string by predetermined amounts.

2. In a musical instrument having a string fixedly anchored at both ends and passing over two bridge members and including means for normally tuning the string, a pivoted tensioning lever connected to the string between one of said anchored ends and its associated bridge member, a series of adjustable abutment screws on said lever, and a corresponding series of manually operable elements adapted to be moved selectively into engagement with the respective abutment screws one at a time to pull down on said string thereby to vary the tension in the string by predetermined amounts.

3. In a musical instrument having a string fixedly anchored at both ends and passing over two bridge members and including means for normally tuning the string, a tensioning lever, a-

link operatively associating said lever with the string between one of said anchored ends and its associated bridge member, a series Of abutment screws adjustable on said lever, and a corresponding series or manually operable elements adapted to be moved into engagement with the respective abutment screws one at a time to pull down on said string thereby to vary the tension in the string by predetermined amounts.

4. In a musical instrument having a series of strings each fixedly anchored at both ends and passing over two bridge members and including means for normally tuning the strings, pivoted tensioning levers corresponding in number to and located respectively beneath said strings, links connecting the levers with the strings respectively between one of their anchored ends and the bridge member associated therewith, abutments adjustably mounted in groups on said levers and projecting therefrom, and manually operable elements extending transversely beneath the correspending abutments on the several strings and adapted one at a time to be elevated into contact with said abutments to move said levers to pull down on said strings and thereby to vary the tension in the strings by predetermined amounts.

5. In a musical instrument having a series of strings each fixedly anchored at both ends and passing over two bridge members and including means for normally tuning the strings, pivoted tensioning levers corresponding in number to and located respectiwelyv beneath said strings, links connecting the respective levers with the respective strings between one of their anchored ends and the bridge member associated therewith, abutments adjustably mounted in groups on said 7 levers and projecting therefrom, a plurality of cross bars transversely extending beneath corresponding abutments on the levers, and manually operated means for elevating said cross bars one at a time into engagement with the abutments to pull down on said strings thereby to vary the tension in the strings by predetermined amounts.

6. In a stringed musical instrument including tuning means for tuning the strings, that improvement which comprises pivoted tensioning levers corresponding in number to and located beneath said strings, links connecting the respective levers with the respective strings in associated operative relation, abutments adjustably mounted in groups on said levers and projecting therefrom, a plurality of cross-bars slidably mounted beneath and in vertical registry with said abutments, rocking levers operatively associated with said cross-bars, and manually operated keys connected respectively to the rocking levers for elevating said cross bars one at a time into engagement with the corresponding abutments on said levers whereby the strings may be selectively varied in their tension by predetermined amounts.

7. In a stringed musical instrument including tuning means for tuning the strings, that improvement which comprises pivoted tensioning levers corresponding in number to and located beneath said strings, links connecting the respective levers with the respective strings in associated operative relation, abutments adjustably mounted in groups on said levers and projecting therefrom, a plurality of cross-bars slidably mounted beneath and in vertical registry with said abutments, rocking levers operatively associated with said cross-bars, devices selectively controlled by a performer for operating said rocking levers to elevate said cross-bars into contact with said abutments and thereby actuate the tensioning levers and links to vary the tension of said strings to produce different musical tones in predetermined chords without interference with the current playing of said instrument by said performer, a latching mechanism associated with all of said cross-bars and moved into unlatched position by movement of a cross-bar toward latched position and moved to latched po sition by subsequent completion of said crossbar movement, whereby any cross-bar in latched position is automatically released to resume its normal position by movement of any other crossbar into latched position.

8. In a stringed musical instrument including tuning means for tuning the strings, that improvement which comprises pivoted tensioning levers corresponding in number to and located beneath said strings, links connecting the respective levers with the respective strings in associated operative relation, abutments adjustably mounted in groups on said levers and projecting therefrom, a plurality of cross-bars slidably mounted beneath and in vertical registry with said abutments, rocking levers operatively associated with said cross-bars, devices selectively controlled by a performer for operating said rocking levers to elevate said cross-bars into contact with said abutments and thereby actuate the tensioning levers and links to vary the tension of said strings to produce different musical tones in predetermined chords without interference with the current playing Of said instrument by said performer, a latching mechanism associated with all of said cross-bars and moved into unlatched position by movement of a cross-bar toward latched position and moved to latched position by subsequent completion of said cross-bar movement, whereby any cross-bar in latched position is automatically released to resume its normal position by movement of any other cross-bar into latched position.

a. In a stringed musical instrument including tuning means for tuning the strings, that improvement which comprises pivoted tensioning levers corresponding in number to and located beneath said strings, links connecting the respective levers with the respective strings in associated operative relation, abutments adjustably mounted in groups on said levers and projecting therefrom, a plurality of cross-bars slidably mounted beneath and in vertical registry with said abutments, rocking levers operatively associated with said cross-bars, devices selectively controlled by a performer for operating said rocking levers to elevate said cross-bars into contact with said abutments and thereby actuate the tensioning levers and links to vary the tension of said strings to produce different musical tones in predetermined chords without interference with the current playing of said instrument by said performer, a latching mechanism associated with all of said cross-bars and moved into unlatched position by movement of a cross-bar toward latched position and moved to latched position by subsequent completion of said cross-bar movement, whereby any cross-bar in latched position is automatically released to resume its normal position by movement Of any other cross-bar into latched position.

10. In a stringed musical instrument characterized by a base member, a bridge member mounted a short distance from each end of said base member, the distance between said two bridge members defining the operative length of a vibratable string, string-end-anchoring devices mounted at each end of said base member, one of said anchoring devices being provided with a manually-operable string-tensioning control for determining the initial tuning of a string attached thereto, and a vibratable string stretched over said bridge members from one of said stringend-anchoring devices to the other, in combination therewith a mechanism for changing the tuning of said string without readjusting said manual string-tensioning control, comprising, an approximately horizontal tensioning lever pivoted intermediate its ends about a horizontal axis below said string, said lever extending toward the center of said base member from a point between one of said string-end-anchoring devices and its associated bridge member, a string-depressing member surmounting said strin at said point and connected to one end of said tensioning lever to pull down on said string to increase its tension and thereby increase its natural pitch, and a selector mechanism to position said inner end of said tensioning lever in a plurality of predetermined positions to pull down on said string by amounts corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of desired tunings of said string.

11. In a stringed musical instrument characterized by a base member, a bridge member mounted a short distance from each end of said base member, the distance between said two bridge members defining the operative length of a vibratable string, string-end-anchoring devices.

mounted at each end of said base member, one of said anchoring devices being provided with a ,manually-operable string-tensioning control for determining the initial tuning of a string attached thereto, and a vibratable string stretched over said bridge members from one of said stringend-anchoring devices to the other, in combination therewith a mechanism for changing the tuning of said string without readjusting said manual string-tensioning control, comprising, a tensioning lever pivoted adjacent said string, a string-depressing member operating on said string at a point between one of said string-endanchoring devices and its associated bridge member, and connected to one end of said tensioning lever to pull down on said string to increase its tension. and thereby increase its natural pitch, and a selector mechanism to position the other end of said tensioning lever in a plurality of predetermined positions to pull down on said string by amounts corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of desired tunings of said string.

12. In a stringed musical instrument characterized by a base member, a bridge member mounted a short distance from each end of said base member, the distance between said two bridge members defining the operative length of a vibratable string, string-end-anchoring devices mounted at each end of said base member, one of said anchoring devices being provided with a manually-operable string-tensioning control for determining the initial tuning of a string attached thereto, and a vibratable string stretched over said bridge members from one of said string-endanchoring devices to the other, in combination therewith a mechanism for changing the tuning of said string without readjusting said manual string-tensioning control, comprising, an approximately horizontal tensioning lever pivoted intermediate its ends about a horizontal axis below said string, said lever extending toward the center of said base member from a point between one of said string-end-anchoring devices and its associated bridge member, a string-depressing member surmounting said string at said point and connected to one end of said tensioning lever to pull down on said string to increase its tension and thereby increase its natural pitch, an abutment associated with the other end of said tensioning lever, a plurality of adjustment mechanisms for predetermining the position of said tensioning lever when it coacts with said abutment, a selector mechanism to cooperatively position a selected one of said adjustment mecha nisms with respect to said lever and said abutment, and a latching mechanism latching said selected adjustment mechanism in operative position until the next operation of said selector mechanism.

13. In a stringed musical instrument characterized by a base member, a bridge member mounted a short distance from each end of said base member, the distance between said two bridge members defining the operative length of a vibratable string, string-end-anchoring devices mounted at each end of said base member, one of said anchoring devices being provided with a manually-operable string-tensioning control for determining the initial tuning of a string attached thereto, and a vibratable string stretched over said bridge members from one of said string-end-anchoring devices to the other, in combination therewith a mechanism for changing the tuning of said string without readjusting said manual string-tensioning control, compris ing, a tensioning lever pivoted adjacent said string, a string-depressing member operating on said string at a point between one of said stringend-anchoring devices and its associated bridge member and connected to one end of said tensioning lever to pull down on said string to increase its tension and thereby increase its natural pitch, a selector mechanism to position the other end of said tensioning lever in a plurality of predetermined positions to pull down on said string by amounts corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of desired tunings of said string, and an adjustable force applying mechanism for applying to said string-depressing member a counter force substantially equal and opposite to the force applied to said member by said string at said point.

14. In a stringed musical instrument characterized by a base member, a bridge member mounted a short distance from each end of said base member, the distance between said two bridge members defining the operative length of a vibratable string, string-end-anchoring devices mounted at each end of said base member, one of said anchoring devices being provided with a manually-operable string-tensioning control for determining the initial tuning of a string attached thereto, and a vibratable string stretched over said bridge members from one of said stringend-anchoring devices to the other, in combination therewith a mechanism for changing the tuning of said string without readjusting said manual string-tensioning control, comprising, an approximately horizontal tensioning lever pivoted intermediate its ends about a horizontal axis below said string, said lever extending toward the center of said base member from a point between one of said string-end-anchoring devices and its associated bridge member, a string-depressing member surmounting said string at said point and connected to one end of said tensioning lever to pull down on said string to increase its tension and thereby increase its natural pitch, a selector mechanism to position said inner end of said tensionin lever in a plurality of predetermined positions to pull down on said string by amounts corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of desired tunings of said string, and manuallyoperated keys for operating said selector mechanism, said keys being positioned in front of said string and intermediate said bridges whereby the musician can operate them with his thumb and wrist without discontinuance of his playing during the tuning-change operation.

GEORGE BARR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,809,710 Kaufman et a1 June 9, [1931 2,040,633 Schulz May 12, 1936 2,122,396 Freeman July 5, 1938 2,234,874 Moore Mar. 11, 1941 2,235,717 Maffei et al Mar. 18, 1941 2,235,718 Mafiei et a1 Mar. 18, 1941 

